Girlebooks Home | Book Reviews
Lilian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who… series
The Cat Who… series is available at Diesel Ebooks and at Amazon.com.
A few years ago, the Mystery Guild Book Club polled members with the question “Which mystery writer would you rather be stranded on a desert island with?” The winner: Lillian Jackson Braun. The book club didn’t ask why readers voted for her, but anyone who has read Ms. Braun’s novels knows why.
With the exception of the first three novels, which set the stage for the series, each novel is a vacation for the reader to a quirky, arts-loving, small town where the most important edifice is the library. Each novel in the series is a murder mystery, but the violence is off-screen, and the murder presents itself early in the story as a problem to be solved. While solving the murder, the protagonist and the reader learn something about the arts such as painting, ceramics or spinning and weaving, along with drama, history, literature and geography.
As far as I can count, Lillian Jackson Braun has written twenty eight novels in The Cat Who… series starting with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, published in 1966, and continuing through The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers, published in 2007.
The series starts with the story of Jim Qwilleran, an unemployed journalist who had once been great but whose alcoholism and divorce had derailed his career. Now alone and on the wagon, he hopes to get any job he can, just to pay the rent. Mortified by the fact that he is forced to accept an insignificant column in the features section, he accepts, and in his research he ends up solving a murder. He adopts the victim’s now homeless cat, Koko, who proves to be the most intelligent and entertaining, if not the most well-behaved cat in literature.
The series gets interesting when Jim suddenly finds himself heir to one of the largest fortunes in America, providing that he move to the town of Pickax described as “400 miles north of everywhere.” For Qwilleran, moving to Pickax isn’t near as much of a problem as figuring out what to do with all that money.
The Girlebooks reading list recommends this series for the sheer fun of reading. The beauty of this series is that when you get that lost feeling after reading a really good book you can always pick up the next one.
Discussion
38 comments for “Lilian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who… series”
Post a comment
SPOILERS AHEAD:
I just finished The Cat Who HAd Sixty Whiskers. I was devastated and little P.O’d at Polly for leaving Qwill. I also could not believe Ms. Braun burned the barn down. I just loved to read his description of the house. I also loved his little quirks with POlly. There was always the mystery of would they get married? I feel so bad for Qwill. I am really upset at Ms. Braun for finishing this book like this. I doubt I will read anymore of books with the enthusiasm that I always have. She made a bad move and I don’t know why.
I’m only just starting to read “The Cat Who Had Sixty Whiskers” so this was a bit of a spoiler. However, the joy of reading LJB’s books is that the ending doesn’t matter as much as the journey. This isn’t the first fire Mr. Q has endured (remember the K mansion?) Nor is it his first love lost (for example, his wife, a girlfriend Rosemary, and the love of his life, Joy, who was murdered shortly after their reunion.) “The Cat Who Saw Red” where Joy was murdered was, because of its vivid descriptions of making and firing pottery, one of my favorite “Cat Who” books in spite of the love lost. I liked Polly, but LJB always seems to dream up something better to replace that which is lost. And besides, he could get her back…
What happened to the “The Cat who Smelled Smoke”? I thought it was due out in June but the publisher pulled it.
I have to say that I am glad Polly is gone. Quill really needs someone to respond to him. And someone who really loves the cats and finds them cleaver and exciting.
You’re right, Sheila, “The Cat Who Smelled Smoke” is still not available, at least anywhere that I can find it. I have been reading about Lilian Jackson Braun, what there is to find out about her–which is not much–and she is nearing if not past 90. I began to wonder how long she can keep up the series. How can we live without it?
I have every book in this series. I read and kept all of my copies of “The Cat Who” books and have read them over and over again until the last one came out (Cat With 60 Wiskers). I haven’t picked one up since. I was VERY unhappy & disappointed in the last 3 books in the series and really felt as if someone else was writing the books for Ms.Braun. The writing is not her style. Questions remained unanswered when the books ended and it just seemed as if they weren’t being thought out correctly. I do hope Ms. Braun is ok but if she’s going to retire the series then she should announce it and stop the series. Putting out books like the last 3 or so is not being fair to her many many readers and fans.
I agree with C. S. Phillips that the last three books were not as good as the earlier ones. I just finished reading the first five books in the series, and they are much better than the later ones. However, Ms. Braun, if Wikipedia is accurate, is about 93 years old, and any writing she does at all is close to a miracle. I notice that “The Cat Who Smelled Smoke” is still not available, although it will be the next in the series. Yes, I will buy it and read it, if for no other reason than curiosity. The trajectory of the series, however, has something to do with the tired themes of the last three books. In the early books, it was all Qwilleran could do to keep a roof over his head and caviar for the cats in the pantry. Now with a fortune at his disposal, plot lines are more limited, even if the fantasy factor is a draw for the reader. Who wouldn’t like to live in a friendly town with bags of money and a part time job?
I am sure we all want Ms Braun to continue to write The Cat Who…series, as she has given us so many wonderful hours of reading.
I too wondered why she burned the barn. I loved picturing all the nooks and crannies with the cats.
Let us hope she is just teasing us before a great knew book comes out.
I agree with Sheila. I hated losing the barn. Owning four cats, I have coveted the ramp that the cats scamper up and down, in addition to the lingering smell of apples. The shoddily, build, prefab Ittibittiwasse Estates just can’t replace it! I also miss the Klingenshoen mansion.
I couldn’t believe Polly leaving her beloved Brutus & Catta. She loved them to excess previously.
I hope the find out who burned down the barn. Maybe it can be rebuilt. All those wonderful things he had inside.
I got to here because I was trying to find out if “The Cat Who Smelled Smoke” is out yet. I have all the other books & loved them. I agree the last 3 were not quite as good, but will buy the last one if it comes out. The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers seem to kind of jump around-didn’t flow smoothly. Things just seemed thrown in. She has given us a lot of pleasure over the years-hate for it to end, but the years catch up with all of us.
I am wondering if the holders of the copyrights for the “Cat Who…” series intend to carry on the when Ms. Braun retires. There is always the question of whether the new author or group of authors will live up to the original standard. On the other hand, different Cat Who books might be better than no Cat Who books. For readers hankering for good “man and his cat” stories while we wait for “The Cat Who Smelled Smoke” Cleveland Amory and Peter Gethers have written some charming non-fiction books that start with a “The Cat Who” title. (”The Cat Who Came for Christmas” and “The Cat Who Went to Paris.”) [Note: if this post has any typos, my cat apologizes. She was licking my hand while I typed. At least she didn't walk across the keyboard this time. Uh oh--here she comes...]
I’m from the Philippines and I am a fan of the Cat Who series. Right now I’m reading The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare. I like the series because the suspense is just enough for me to bear. Last week I was reading John Grisham’s The Pelican Brief — a version for children in fact — and the suspense nearly killed me. Since I write for magazines, I enjoy — and try to learn from — how Qwill asks his questions and gets ideas for his column. Of course his good fortune and how he can always beat the deadline makes me green with envy.
Myra has a point. Reading John Grisham, or Dan Brown, or Robert Ludlum is grueling. Lilian Jackson Braun’s style harks back to the more leisurely styles of Agatha Christie, Daphne Du Maurier and Vera Caspary. You stroll through the book rather than rush through it. I said before that I thought reading LJB is more like taking a vacation in Pickax. Perhaps this is why.
I love the Cat Who books and listen to them on tape at least ten times. The last book really upset me as I could visualize the barn and the lovely surrounding area. I hope someone with Ms. Brauns love of mystery and country folk picks up the series because I feel like I have lost some very close and wonderful friends!!!!!!!!
I started reading the Cat Who series about 10 years ago and stopped when I had my two children. I have now restarted and am about to start “The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts”. I agree with Joyce McDonald … it would be great to see another author or group of authors carry on the series. I don’t know what else could or would capture my attention as much as Qwill, Koko and Yum-Yum.
Like Maureen, I would certainly miss my vacations in Pickax when LJB puts down her pen. I recently bought the book “Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her” and it made me think of the LJB series. LJB is a real person, but if she passed the torch to a loyal and talented writer, would the series keep its readership? Interesting, after mentioning Daphne Du Maurier in my last comment, I happened upon the book “Rebecca’s Tale” by Sally Beauman, in Costco. This book is a sequel to “Rebecca”. “Rebecca” is one of my favorite books, and yet the sequel is thus far (I’ve read about a third of the book)living up to expectations. Hmmm…what if Sally Beauman…
I have read every one of her books some more than once. I truly enjoy them. I do agree that the last few did not seem as good as the rest but they were still entertaining. However if LJB is still writing them and the fact that she is in her 90’s could contribute to that. I do hope that she has someone who can take up the reigns and carry on for her. I would hate to imagine not visiting with Qwill, Koko and YumYum.
Barb’s comment got me to thinking. It seems that a lot of LJB fans, Barb and I included, would like to see the series continued indefinitely. Maybe it would be fun to post here what we would like to see in future “Cat Who” books. For example, I would like to find out, now that Polly is gone, that Joy Graham is not dead at all, and that she pays a visit to Qwill–perhaps sets up a pottery in Pickax. What would happen then? What other stories would you like to see?
I always wondered what happened to Rosemary and Qwill’s ex wife. I want Polly back and the barn. I loved Mrs. Cobb, what a great cast of characters she created. I hope someone takes over and Qwill gets to visit down below again.
I think it would be a good storyline if Koko picked out someone for Quill.
I too would like to see the series continued but only if they’re as good as the first 20/25 books. I’m glad Polly is gone, I didn’t like her at all. Much too pushy & a real snob (poor “Quill dear”). I most certainly DID NOT like the major characters being off. Why? What was the purpose? I liked Mrs. Cobb and also Derek’s rich girlfriend from Breakfast Island who was killed off in the last book with no explanation. Why burn down the mansion and the barn? These are a part of what Pickax is all about.
In answer to Cheryl’s commentary, Rosemary came to visit Qwill at Aunt Fannie’s lakeshore cabin in Moose county (”The Cat Who Played Brahms.”) She hit it off well with Aunt Fannie. Then Aunt Fanny died while Rosemary was up there. Rosemary helped Qwill go through the Klingenshoen mansion looking for the will. However, after the murder and other instances of terror, Rosemary was ready to hightail it back “down below”. The relationship was doomed from the beginning. She was a health food nut; he was a meat and potatoes man. She was probably 15 years older than Qwill. They couldn’t finish each other’s sentences, nor could they understand each others’ jokes. Still, Rosemary had her attractions, and it might be nice to see her again.
Qwill’s wife, Miriam, it was revealed in “The Cat Who Saw Red”, was in a mental hospital. We also learned that Miriam up and left him. This puts a whole new light on their breakup. I thought at first that she had left him because of his drinking, but the story line seems to insinuate that he took up that sport after she left him. Maybe it was when the in-laws started asking him for money. They are supposedly wealthy and he (at least in the first four novels) is usually penniless.
I think Kayla has a great idea of having Koko pick someone out for Qwill. After all, no woman is allowed to stay in Qwill’s life unless Koko approves of it, and he is VERY particular.
I would have to say my favorite “Qwill woman” was Melinda Goodwinter, his doctor. She has the same dry wit and sharp intelligence as our favorite newsman.
I love the Cat books. I would hate to see Polly leave as she is a good.
I just started reading this series and want to get all of them read.
I get them at our local library and they seem to have a lot of them.
Norma Driggs
Norma, You won’t be disappointed they are so entertaining and adictive. I have read them and re-read them. Enjoy
I agree with Barb. I have read most of them more than once. It is very hard to stop once you start the series from the beginning. The LJB books are so different from a lot of fiction in that the books are relaxing and inviting, like a small town diner. Most also are informative of one topic or another, like journalism, pottery, spinning, limmericks, haiku or even Scottis literature. You never know what you’re going to learn about next.
I am wondering if possibly the publisher is delaying “The Cat Who Smelled Smoke” book until after Lilian’s death. She is 95…maybe the publisher thinks they’ll make more money if her fans have to wait for it.
I also agree with alot of the other comments about the last 3 books. I especially concur that Polly seemed very out of character in the last one. She would never abandon her cats, just like Qwill wouldn’t!
I have never been so surprised about events in a book like I was with Lilian’s last one. It reminded me of when I was working my way through all of Agatha Christie’s, with her neat twists and turns, except this time, it didn’t solve a murder. It just left me wondering when she’d write the whole book was simply a dream. Overall, the book didn’t feel right and I felt gypped when I finished it.
I hope someone continues the series.
Well, Lyn, you may be on to something. Are you old enough to remember “Dallas?” They wiped out an entire season of “Dallas” (one in which Bobby died) by making it out to be a bad dream. One could only wish that Lillian had that in mind for “The Cat Who had 60 Whiskers”. Maybe in the next one, it will start back there a ways in the time line.
I would be less inclined to think that the publishers are holding back until LJB’s demise and more likely to believe that they realize people were not real happy with the outcome of the last one and maybe want to LJB to re-think how she is going to resolve it. Another issue they have to deal with is that if this could possibly be her last book, what will happen to Qwill? Will they off him (cringe) or will they hire someone else to continue his life?
I’m being patient in waiting for “Smoke” for the same reason I haven’t read the last two Harry Potter novels: I want to have something to look forward to.
My mom and I love this series, but were both sad about the last book. It just wasn’t up to her standards.
It was sad about the barn being burned. Also, Quill seemed to have no regrets about it– he wasn’t portrayed as grieving the loss.
The Polly issue was also very abrupt. She left her cats and Quill like they never mattered. If I were LJB I would somehow make it a dream like someone else had suggested.
Heard yesterday that the publisher has cancelled all pre-orders for “Smoke”, which led me to find this site.
My sister turned me onto “The Cat Who..” years ago, and we both feel that four or five books ago someone else took over writing them. LJB always had cute little word plays and puns, but in two books in particular it stopped being cute and felt very forced and contrived. Then it seemed like they gave someone else a try, and the next book or two seemed more like Lilian’s previous works. I hated “60 whiskers” but was/am still waiting to see what happens with “smoke”. I wonder if the publisher was trying to rush it to press before she died to make it seem like she wrote the next book, but then discovered whomever was ghostwriting it blew it? I also hope that Quill, Koko and Yum Yum get to live on after her. I’d miss them!
I agree with Cay. I felt like someone else was doing the writing in the last few books. I hope that they find a writer who can continue to bring us the enjoyable stories about characters who have almost become “friends”. I’d miss them too.
I thought Polly was getting a little tiresome in the last few books-seemed like she took Quill for granted. I agree-she would not just up and leave her cats-that was totally out of her character.
It seemed like quite a few of the characters we got fond of were killed off in some of the books, so I guess we should not have been surprised when the beloved Applebarn burned. No one or no thing was secure (with the exception of Quill, Koko, and YumYum.)
For being a crime free area-there were sure a lot of murders and arsons.
I do hate to see the series end-I have really enjoyed the books. I also hope someone picks up where LJB left off.
Actually, I lost quite a bit of enthusiasm for the series when LJB killed off Elizabeth Cage, Derek’s girlfriend, and had none of the characters display more than the most perfunctory acknowledgement of her untimely, tragic death. No one even inquired how Derek was holding up. It was so heartless, I was stunned. Then I read a review that said anyone who loved the series should never read the Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers, so I didn’t. Now, having read the comments here and learned a little about the plot, I can see why. I never thought Polly was a very well developed character in the first place, but for the publisher to release a story that had her leaving Qwilleran and abandoning her cats is an insult to the whole series. Agatha Christie’s later books were pale by comparison with the quality of her earlier works, but at least she never compromised her characters. How stupid of the publishers to have evicerated the integrity of the series.
Did Lilian Jackson Braum die? If so I missed reading about it.
Peggy: No, LJB did not die that we know if. Her book “The Cat Who Smelled Smoke” was delayed being published, and we were speculating, since she’s about 93 years old, how long she could keep up writing.
Karen: You were right. Thas was strange that Derek’s girlfriend got such short shrift. Of course I would NEVER recommend that someone NOT read one of the Cat Who books. I actually found “The Cat Who Saw Red” (a very early offering) to be the most painful, but also one of the best. Who knows what is happening with the recent books. Maybe the editor is screwing things up. But as long as LJB publishes, I will read.
I’m so glad to read that others believe, as I do, that someone else has been honchoing the last two or three LJB books. Familiar characters have been behaving in most unexpected ways! Nonetheless, I’m waiting with fingers crossed for The Cat Who Smelled Smoke — hoping for a return of the old LJB magic!
I first found Qwill, Koko, and Yum Yum at a most difficult time in my life. My husband had died suddenly at 35, and I wanted only to lose myself in something mindless. After reading my first Cat Who, I felt that I had three new friends in Qwill, Koko, and Yum Yum, and they’ve since helped me through some tough times.
I’ve read each of the books four times over the last two years, and I’m starting on my fifth go ’round. The books may not be high art, but every time I (re)read one, I learn something new about human — and feline — nature. And, more importantly, I feel optimistic about life.
Viva Qwill, Koko, and Yum Yum!
I really hope that they can find someone to “pass the pen” to who can continue in the same way as LJB. I named one of my cats Koko because of her pointed markings. The characters in her books are like visits from dear friends and I hope they will continue.
Cat Lover from Boston, I am so touched by your story about healing you have done by reading “Cat Who” books. You give a lot of credit to LJB, but I suspect that the healing resource is within yourself, and that LJB just helped to catalyze it. Qwill, as we well know, was also putting his life back together after some disastrous life events and some even more disastrous life choices. Qwill and both the cats lost loved ones early in the series. It was only through their union that they could properly heal, move on, and finally find joy. I find it inspiring that this union could help someone else heal as well.
As Barb says, reading LJB is like gaining new friends in Qwill, Koko and Yum Yum. I suspect that sometimes they understand you more than your real friends, and you don’t have to explain yourself to them. A real plus when no words exist to describe how you are feeling.